Continuous operation cyclone receiver



5 Sheets-Sheet l V1 R m w m N n m m A lllflllllln CONTINUOUS OPERATION CYCLONE RECEIVER Aug, 28, 1956 Filed Dec. 2l, `1955 Aug. 28, 1956 T. E. PYNoR CONTINUOUS OPERATION cYcLoNE RECEIVER Filed Dec. 21, i955 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 MM g M f f, r 5 f 2 2 5a# 3 QM. .2 3 4 f, ,l 6 7 4, f 654 @i 44 Q, W. m, w 3 N 2 INVENTOR.

y N. E Y m P. m E m S W/ ma Aug. 28, 1956 T. E. PYNOR CONTINUOUS OPERATION cYcLoNE RECEIVER 3 Sheets-Sheet-3 Filed Dec. 2l, 1955 INVENTOR. THOMAS E- FYNOR HTTORlI/EV United States Parent CONTINUOUS OPERATIGN CYCLONE RECEIVER Thomas E. Pynor, Port Kennedy, Pa., assigner to Beanmont Birch Company, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application December 21, 1953, Serial No. 399,423

8 Claims. (Cl. 13S-37) This invention relates generally to apparatus for centrifugally separating solid material from a conveyor uid and collecting the same and more particularly is concerned with an improved construction of the pneumatic type of such apparatus.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide such apparatus with valve and discharge gate means operable for continuous operation of the apparatus and intermittent discharge of material separated and collected thereby.

Another object of the present invention is to provide such apparatus with a valved passage between the principal sections thereof, the valve being operable for cutting oi the ow of material at the entrance end of said passage and for hermetically sealing by delayed action the discharge end of said passage.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide such apparatus with means for equalizing the pressures in the principal sections and the valve controlled passage of the apparatus to facilitate movement of the passage controlling valve or placing in communication with atmosphere the one of the aforementioned principal sections from which the material is discharged from the apparatus to facilitate movement of the discharge gate.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will appear more fully hereinafter, it being understood that the invention consists substantially in the combination, construction, location and general arrangement of parts, all as described in detail in the following specification, as shown in the accompanying drawings and as fully pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a vertical section through an apparatus embodying the present invention, the passage between the principal sections of the apparatus being shown fully open;

Figure 2 is the same as Figure 1 but shows the passage between the principal sections of the apparatus closed at the entrance end thereof;

Figure 3 is an exploded view of the valve of the present invention, the closure members being shown in section;

Figure 4 is the same as Figures 1 and 2 but shows the passage between the principal sections of the apparatus closed at both ends;

Figure 5 is an enlarged vertical section through the valve actuating iluid pressure motor;

Figure 6 is a horizontal section on line 6--6 of Figure 4; and

Figure 7 is a horizontal section on line 7-7 of Figure 4.

Referring to the drawings, the apparatus of the present invention comprises a collector 10 disposed directly over a receiver 11 which is mounted over a storage bin 12.

The collector 10 is provided with a separator section 13 having a cylindrically shaped upper wall portion 14 and a conically shaped lower Wall portion 15, the latter f terminating in an external annular ange 16 having a central opening 17. The separator section 13 is provided The receiver 11 is provided with a cylindrically shaped upper wall portion 24 and a downwardly converging lower wall portion 25 which terminates in an external flange 26 disposed along an inclined plane and having a central opening 27. The portion 24 of the receiver 11 has seated thereon the section 19 of the collector 10, and the portion 25 of the receiver 11 projects into the storage bin 12 through a cover plate 28 over the storage bin 12. It will be understood that the component parts of the apparatus so far described are suitably flanged and otherwise conventionally secured together.

For passing through the collector 10 the uid medium which conveys the solid material, the collector 10.is conventionally provided with a tangentially disposed inlet nozzle 29 and an outlet duct 30, the latter being provided with a section 31 which extends vertically through the collector cover plate 18 and with a laterally extending section 32 which communicates with an exhauster 33.

The solid material separated from the iluid medium is collected by the apparatus for discharge through the opening 27 in the inclined flange 26 at the bottom of the receiver 11. For controlling the opening 27, the receiver 11 is provided with discharge gate means including a gate in the form of a plate 35 which is carried by a frame 36 through the medium of an arm 37. The gate plate 35 is pivotally secured at 38 to the arm 37, and the latter is pivotally secured at 39 to the frame 36. For biasing the gate plate 35 toward the closed position thereof, the arm 37 is suitably weighted at 39a; and for hermetically sealing the opening 27, the frame 36 is provided with a collar in the form of a suitably raised bead 40 which extends about the opening 27 for contact with the gate plate 35.

The section 19 of the collector 10 affords a passage between the principal sections 11 and 13 of the apparatus. For controlling this passage, the apparatus is provided with valve means comprising a pair of closure members 41 and 42 which are mounted on a rod 43, the latter being suspended from avalve actuating fluid pressure motor designated generally by the reference character 44.

The closure member 41 includes a cylindrical part 45, the upper end and intermediate portions of which are provided respectively with transversely extending webs 46 and 47. The lower end portion of the closure member 41 is closed by a suitable plate 48. Referring particularly to Figure 1, the closure member 41 is provided with a bell-valve part 49 which extends around, and outwardly from, the lower end portion'of the cylindrical part 45 and further extends downwardly to a level below the plate 48, being supported on a spider 50 mounted in the portion 24 of the receiver 11 so as to position the bell-valve 49 below the section 19 of the collector 10 with the upper end portion of the cylindrical wall 45 projecting into the section 19 of the collector 10. The transversely extending webs 46 and 47 of the closure member 41 are apertured, and the rod 43 is freely projected through the apertures, the lower terminal portion of the rod 43 being provided with a washer 51 carried by nuts 52-52 and disposed intermediate the plate 48 and the transverse web 47. The flange 22 of the collector section 19 has suitably secured thereto a downwardly presenting annular member 53 which extends about the central opening 23 in the liange and suitably supports a gasket 53a of rubber or other compressible material against which the valve I-49gmayjbe seated to-her-metically sealA thei-bottom of A"'lheclosure'member'42 alsoincludes'a' cylindrical part 54 the lower end portionfof which is flared outwardly anddownwardly to form av bell-valve part S5. The upper fing' iveel; A59. The `-transversely extending webs 56" arid 5 9 oftlieclosureimemberz areap'ertured, and' the roti `43 is freely projected through these apertures. Thel web 56"- is* seated 'on' the*` upper' end' portion Yof'a' "coiled" comi rtiits the 4v'position of the element 6r and Ithe length ef ifcllctorfsection19and the lower terminal" of the'valve '-55 "I an 'a' levellbelow 'the upperI terminal 'ofv the closure `iii'errib'er:41,"all-asshown fin :Figure li The ange 16 of the separator section 13 has suitably'secured thereto Ahiniiiulafrnernberl 62 'which extends' about the central peilingL 1T A'in `the angeand against which the valve 55 ffinayibe seated.

l lieu'pper' end' portion lof the rod 43 is secured through sa? universal joint-63' to the lower terminal portionof a '--`dublecting'piston 64"of the valve actuated ilu-id Vpressure "motor t44. "The piston '64 extends through the top 'lw'all? of the-'duct 30` andeterminates in ahead '65vvhich Sis' disposed in a cylinder66, the latter being suitably supfpliedwith a fluent pressuremedium from a suitables'ource "fofy supplytbymeans of conduits 67,68 and 69, atfourway *valve 70 anda' pump 71.

\ Themea'ns 'for equalizing Vthe lpressuir'esin the'separato-r Il'sectiorr1-3,"the section 19 and thereceiv'er '11 sok as to provide for movement'vfreely of the closure members'41 `aiid""42"of the' valve means, or for placing the receiver f L1A-inA communication with atmosphere 'so astopr'ovide lfor@movement freely'of its discharge gate includel a con- -f=tinuouslyfopen conduit 72 whichplaces the separator seciation-13Mconstantly incommunicationlwith the section "'1'9, anffadditional conduit 73 through which they separator section 13 may communicate with tlieA receiver '11,'r the "-conduit'73'beingf tted'with a yvalve 74,' and 'avalve '-7'51'in1anatmospheric' vent' which issuitablyca-'rried by i'ri-Stiillf'freferring 2particularly -to"Figure-'1, in lthe" opera- 3:ti-bn of-'the apparatus', the Texl'iaiisterE 33- `operates `continuously,-"as"- 'a consequence of` which the conveyor-'Huid f`( for y'T-example, l air) 1 is *continuously* drawn int-oithe` l separator -s'ection `13through1the nozzle 29 andi-discharged through "the'dilct'Su The-solid materialorleXa-mple,'ashlwhich l 1 -isf initially entrained/ in the air is 'centrifugallySeparated tfr'omevitsconveyingr stream 'fof air Aby Cyclonic faction of the'ltter in :the 3separatorisection '13,-ld'roppingfby the force of gravity 'through the-'opening 17 into thef section lmember 42,3thi'ough'the2open-ng 23tinto'ithe receiver 11, whereg it then' 'spills `over the vbell-valvie#t191-of ith'e'- lclosure 4member 41,and-'then tothe bottomlof thelfreceiverl'l, Awhere it -colleetsfover the closed dischargefgate 3S.

When *a predetermined load 'of asl1`,'l`dustforfthe like 1- has collected over f the disehargefgate" 3'5', thef -iiuid Spressuremotor 44' acts 'to raise the rod43.1 Initialvm-ovement 'of the latter `raises t-he closure fmemb`erf'42iwith` the Irod 143-f11om the position "thereof shown in igure 'lltoi-that 'fshowmin Figure 2,fin which-condition 'lof the-apparatus '-^thefspring llremains uncompressed,r thefvalve'SSdis e'raised: into' eng'agement' with; its annular seat '62,11 andthe closure :member 41T L remains f supp orte'd oni the spider 50. Continued f axial 'shifting-'movement' fof the 'rod 43 uppesitton thereof-ehem"fin'tgures" 1f= anda te* tliatf'shewn `in .Figure 4, in -which latter position the.rl closure '.mem-

ber 41 is raised from the spider 50 to present the valve 49` thereof'irmlyseated-against the'annular 1gas1ret-`53a to thereby hermetically seal the collector 10 from the 5 receiver 1'1. The spring 60 will then be compressed, as a consequence of which the closure member 42 is rmly seated against its annular seat 62.

It will be observed that"there is lost motion between the rod 43 and the closure member 41 during the aforementioned 'initial movement of the rod 43,"v andbetween the red d3 and the closure member 4Zduring the/aforementioned continued' movement of the rbd-43,2 asftaconsequence of which delayed action closing'of themember 41 is eiected. The .purpose of the delayedaction is l5 to"provide a` period of time' after the"o`w"of ash' has been cut ott by the' closure member'42 during which any ash in the section 19 may clear the same and drop into the receiver 11 so that none will lodge between the bell-valve 49 of the closure member 41 and the annular 20 vlmember' '53 'tofpreven't hermetic "sealing of the opening '23Iby "the closure 'member"41.

' "In the conditions -of the apparatus jshown''irrFigures"'1, -2and\4, the -valves 74'an'd 75 areclosed'."LThe"pres sures prevailing within the collectorfland'the receiver U11 are `uniform andsubatmospheridasa consequence of 'iwhi'clith'e diierence Ain the` pressures prevailing* within and 'withoutf thelreceiverl 11-5 and' acting on' the' underisideI of the' discharge vgat'efr llassist-the1'counterweight 39a in keeping the discharge gate 3S closed. Whilethe lapparatusfis' in thefconditi'en"shown-i'Figure 4, the fvalve fISiis -opened`inorder -to'placeit'hereceiver -11 lin communiclationlwith atmosphere.' -""'Thus`the `lfpressuie's 1p-revailin g l Withinand Without the zreceiver? A11 arelequalizedgwhereupon the iweight' of the load-noli ashes accumulated in the receiverA \11=`v'overV the discharge igate -35 to ai predeterminedilevelfbelow the= spideri-50-1swings 'the discharge. I gate=1o1gien-- against theVv inuence-o'fthe counterweight39a' foridischargingl theliloadfthrough'the rvopenings27finto thefstorage bin V12'.1:-`\?Vhen the flOa'd-has 40 i fbeenl thusv discharged, the? gate 135 automatically '.-f'clcses f-The valve .75fiisr then closed, Stherebycuttingib communication 'ofthe receiver 11 ifwithl atmosphere.1"-Then valve 74 f is 'opened andfpermsittedc-l tolstay.. open* untilthe snbatmospheric pressures prevailng'nwithin titel-collector v A-102 and the` receiver 1 1l arez` again!iequalg-whereupori the iol yvalve :74 is againvclosed.

The' fluid pressuremotor 44 now:` actstotlowerlthe rod 43.1 Initialdownward movement of :therlatter lowers the -closuremember 41=to` thefspider'SOfl-wtithout 'however disengaging the valve 55-from its.:seat=.62 `due'ttozt-l're"lost 00 motion existing between; thenod. 43andfthe1closure unember 42,1- Upon continued-1downwardmaxialshiftingimovef- Arnentiot' vthe rod-43 relativeto ith'elmember v'41', .tha-closure member A42 -is :lowered into: its i positionw shoivn iniiigure l, .in which latter position the spring is fully expanded. 55 .Upon suchlowering fof thelclosure=-member`42g'the ash V- Yaccumulatedin theseparaton zsection T13: over thez'closure member 42 during the discharge-.operationhereinabove described drops-through thewsection=19finto fthemecciver 11- to start the` collection -foffanotherrloadzo fash'rover 50 the discharge gate `35.-.Ifvthe rvalvef.74:hasrbeer'r left open, the same is.closedfpriontotopening-of ther-.valve A' 75 which is a necessary prelude to discharge' of thew'ash from the receiver 11;

-It will be observed that the -rodAS-is freely, suspended from thespiston 64 of thedluidpressure: motor. 44.through the medium 'ofA the universal joint 63, the purpos'eibeing lto suitably-center the closure members.41 .anditand to mount theA same in a manner .whichfacilitatesjtheiproper "seating of-'the valves494 andl"55 respeetivelyffagainstttheir 'their annular seats F3A and V62. .'It-will be additionally observ'edthat in thel conditionsof the apparatusshown in"`Figu`res-l and 4, theluppe, endfportion Aoilheelosm'c member`41'Lprojectsupwardly into the valve .55..of,.the "closure member '42j`and that in *all enditions ioflthe apparatus the-wap 57iftheclosure memberfizgpioiects upwardly into the section 31 of the duct 30, the purpose being to prevent any accumulation of ashes in closure members 41 and 4Z which could interfere with the axial shifting movement thereof on the rod 43.

It will be understood, of course, that the appara-tus hereinabove shown and described is susceptible of various changes and modifications which may be made from time to time without any departure from the general principles or real spirit of hte invention. For example, the valves 74 and 75 and the fluid pressure motor 44 may be arranged for fully automatic operation. Accordingly, it is intended to claim the present invention broadly,'as well as specilically, as indicated in the appended claims.

What is claimed as new and useful is:

l. In an apparatus of the character described, a collector for solid material, an exhauster for drawing through said collector a fluid in which the solid material is initially entrained and from which the same is centrifugally separated in the collector, said collector being adapted for discharging the material under the iniiuence of gravity through elongated discharge passage formed therein, a receiver for the material discharged from said collector through said passage, a discharge gate hermetically sealing a discharge opening formed in said receiver, said gate being operable for discharging the material under the inuence of gravity from said receiver, a valve adapted to cut olf the ow of said material from said collector into said receiver at the entrance end of said passage and to hermetically seal said collector from said receiver at the discharge end of said passage, said discharge gate and valve being operable to hermetically seal said collector constantly from atmosphere so as to permit continuous operation of said collector and intermittent discharge or" the material from said receiver, and means independent of said discharge gate and valve operable for equalizing the pressures in said receiver and collector or placing said receiver in communication with atrnosphere.

2. In an apparatus or the character described, a collector for solid material having a principal section and an elongated discharge passage, an exhauster for drawing through said collector a iiuid in which the solid material is initially entrained and from which the same is centrifugally separated in the collector, said collector being adapted for discharging the material under the influence of gravity through said elongated discharge passage, a receiver for the material discharged from said collector through said passage, a discharge gate hermetically sealing a discharge opening formed in said receiver, said gate being operable for discharging the material under the influence of gravity from said receiver, a valve adapted to cut oli the flow of said material from said collector into said receiver at the entrance end of said passage and to hermetically seal said collector from said receiver at the discharge end of said passage, said discharge gate and valve being operable to hermetically seal said collector constantly from atmosphere so as to permit continuous operation of said collector and intermittent discharge of the material from said receiver, means permanently establishing communication between the principal section and the discharge passage of said collector so as to equalize the pressures therein, and means independent of said discharge gate and valve operable for establishing communication between said collector and receiver to equalize the pressures therein and optionally :for establishing communication between said receiver and atmosphere.

3. In an apparatus of the character described, a collector for solid material initially entrained in a fluid and then centrifugally separated in the collector from the fluid, said collector being adapted for discharging the material under the intluence of gravity through an elongated discharge passage formed therein, a receiver for the material discharged from said collector through said passage, a discharge gate hermetically sealing a discharge opening t formed in said receiver, said gate being operable for discharging the material under the influence of gravity from said receiver, and a valve comprising a pair of closure members associated respectively with the entrance and discharge ends of said passage, said members being shiftable for closure of the entrance end of said passage by the associated closure member for cutting off the ow of said material from said collector into said receiver and for delayed action closure of the discharge end of said passage by the other closure member for hermetically sealing said collector from said receiver, said discharge gate and valve being operable to hermetically seal said collector constantly from atmosphere so as to permit continuous operation of said collector and intermittent discharge of the material from said receiver.

4. ln an apparatus of the character described, a collector tor solid material initially entrained in a fluid and then centrifugally separated in the collector from the fluid, said collector being adapted for discharging the material under the influence of gravity through an elongated discharge passage formed therein, a receiver for the material discharged from said collector through said passage, a discharge gate hermetically sealing a discharge opening formed in said receiver, said gate being operable for discharging the material under the inuence of gravity from said receiver, and a valve comprising axially shiftable suspended means extending through said passage, and a pair of closure members each mounted for lost motion on said suspended means and associated respectively with the entrance and discharge ends of said passage, said closure members being shiftable by said suspended means for closure of the entrance end of said passage by the associated closure member for cutting ofi the ilow of said material from said collector into said receiver and for delayed action closure of the discharge end of said passage by the other closure member for hermetically sealing said collector from said receiver, said discharge gate and valve being operable to hermetically seal said collector constantly fromatmosphere so as to permit continuous operation of said collector and intermittent discharge of the material from said receiver.

5. In an apparatus of the character described, a collector for solid material initially entrained in a fluid and then centrifugally separated in the collector from the fluid, said collector being adapted for discharging the material under the iniiuence of gravity through an elongated discharge passage formed therein, a receiver for the material discharged from said collector through said passage, a discharge gate hermetically sealing a discharge opening formed in said receiver said gate being operable for discharging the material under the iniluence of gravity from said receiver, a valve comprising an axially shiftable suspended rod extending through said passage, a pair of closure members shiftably mounted on said rod and associated respectively with the entrance and discharge ends of said passage, axially spaced seating elements on said rod associated respectively with said closure members, and yieldable means disposed between the closure member at the entrance end of said passage and the associated seating element on said rod, and means for supporting the closure member at the discharge end of said passage in unseated relation to the other seating element on said rod, said closure members being shiftable by said suspended rod for closure of the entrance end of said passage by the associated closure member for cutting off the flow of said material from said collector into said receiver and for delayed action closure of the discharge end of said passage by the other closure member for hermetically sealing said collector from said receiver, said discharge gate and valve being operable to hermetically seal said collector constantly from atmosphere so as to permit continuous operation of said collector and intermittent discharge of the material from said receiver.

6. In an apparatus of the character described, a collector for solid material initially entrained in a uid and then centrifugally separated in the collector being adapted for discharging-:the material-,under the'nfluence ofvv gravity :through an elongated:discharge` passage formed therein, fa'receiver for the @material discharged from said collector t-through'said passageyladischarge gate hermetically sealring1adischargeopeningi'forrriedin said receiver, said :gate beingoperable fordischarging the material under the influencent gravity from saidreceiver, a valve comprising anv axially shiftable rod freely :suspended through the 'medium of a universal coupling and extending'through said passagega pair of. closure members shittably mounted f onsaid rod and,associated'respectively with the entrance :and discharge ends of said passageaxially spaced seating .elements onv saidV rodassociated :respectively with said -closure membersfandia coilrcompression spring Wrapped around said rod'and'fdisposed between the closure member at the:y entrance end'ofsaid passage and the associated seatingv element onxsaid rod,-and a spider in said receiver Afor .supporting the closure member at the discharge end of said passage `in unseatedy relation to the other seating element on said rod, said closuremembers being shiftable l by l:said suspended rod forclosure of the entrance end of i said passage by the associated closure member for cutting oi the ow of said materialfrom said collector into said 4'receiver and for delayed Aaction closure of the discharge 4.end of saidA passage by' the other closure member for hermetically sealing said collector from said receiver, said discharge gate and-valve being operable to hermetically seal said collector yconstantly from atmosphere so as to permit continuous operation of said collector and intermittent discharge of the material from said receiver.

7. .In apparatus of the character described, a solid mal terials collector having elongated discharge passage means,

an exhauster for drawing through said collector a uid `in whichV the solid material is 'initially entrained .and 'from which it is centrifugally separated in the collector -for gravity discharge thereof through the passage means aforesaid, receiverimeans for .the material discharged from i said collector through said passage means, discharge gate means hermetically sealing said receiver means, said gate means being operable for discharging the material under.

the inuence of gravity from said receiving means, -valve or placing said receiver means in communication with '.iatnrosphere. 'f8..fIn1i apparatuswofthe'. ycharacter-: described, a collector .1 for; solidi material having discharge 4means includingat least one elongatedzfpassage.throughwhich materialis t gravitycsdischarged from said collector, Aan exhauster for -fdrawingithrfoughisaid collector a fluidsini-which the solid fmaterials iiszinitiallyr i entrained r1 and from .which the same is ace'ntrifugally.A separated .in the-collector and` discharged 10 -ttlierefromdrr the manner aforesaid,I receiver means including a y'receiver foreach of said discharge passagesg-each .receiver'beingi-adapted fonreceiving the. material disi: charged ithrougl'i'.` the l'associated passage, discharge e' gate means inc'ludinga'discharge .gate .for each of said receivers, each discharge gatefbeing adapted to hermetically seal a discharge'. openinglforme'd intheassociated receiveriand .tbeing operable fon discharging the material under the iny"iluenceeot gravity from the receiver, valvemeansv adapted to control thetlow of material from said collector into 'iseid-.receiver-means .i atv the entrance eudnofv said passage -means and :to hermetically. seal said-collector fromsaid 'receivermeans atthe1discharge endiof said passage means, the 'discharge gate'zandfvalve'meansfbeing operable to .fhermetically,sealxsaid.: collector constantly from atmos- @here `so .as toapermitcontinuous' operation of said collectorfandsintermittent:discharge of thermaterial from saidireceiver: meansgsandmeans independent of'said dis- `char.ge;.-gate andsuvalve 'meansroperable for, establishing a communication betweenssad collector and :reeeivermeans t-oilequalize the pressures therein: and optionally for estabalishing'communication:betweenxsaid receiver means and atmosphere.

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